Croatia’s EU-level tripartite framework sets a target of 500 MW / 1,000 MWh of additional storage by 2028. A 2026 European research snapshot estimated the country’s operating capacity at about 66 MW. The figures show the difference between Croatia’s storage target and its current installed scale.
The target comes as Croatia’s renewable generation expands and the country participates in the coupled EU market. Periods of high prices in Southeast Europe provide a market rationale for storage. However, Croatia has not matched the pace of battery commissioning in Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary.
Regional scarcity pushed prices higher across central Southeast Europe during Week 42, when Croatia’s baseload average was about EUR 230.49/MWh. Storage can benefit from price discounts during solar hours and premiums in the evening. Investors need clarity on the rules governing those revenues.
Key issues include network tariffs, grid-connection treatment, access to system services and revenue certainty. Grant funding envelopes alone do not make projects bankable, although grants can reduce capital expenditure. Developers also need a clear operating licence, a dispatch route, defined grid charges and predictable treatment of charging and discharging.
Uncertainty over these conditions could leave developers with permits but unable to reach financial close. Croatia’s next step is to establish standardised project rules that lenders and optimisers can price, including clear arrangements for tariffs and market access. Consistent, predictable project terms would enable lenders and developers to assess whether to proceed.